Road Less Traveled
by Remsyk
Summary: Let's rethink the first season. What if they had to fight to come together? What if their difficult path was made even more challenging? What if they had to learn to work as a team, instead of having one from the start?
1. The Day the World Ended - Mia Koji

I remember thinking how I refused to believe that the world was going to end. Even now, after everything I've been through, I find it hard to accept defeat. Most people would have laughed at the idea. Can you imagine telling your neighbor or coworker that today was their last normal day? That everything they know would end in a blink of an eye? They would laugh as if it were a joke and move on with their lives.

My grandfather believed. He devoted his life to the legend of the armors, and did his best to teach me what he had learned if the end came in my lifetime. Even with all my knowledge, I realize now how much I truly didn't know.

That day started like any other. I was studying at the university with my grandfather when the storm blew in. At first, I didn't think much of it. After all, it was mid summer; storms gathered and passed almost on a whim. But Grandfather knew, and when the wind blew open the windows and wreaked havoc on my organized piles if research, I felt it too.

The cold touch of evil.

He was surprisingly calm about it, when I think back. He didn't panic or raise his voice. He simply...accepted. As though he had been waiting for this moment. Maybe he had. After devoting one's life to a legend, I suppose it is gratifying to finally have some confirmation to its existence, even if said existence is hellbent on ending your own.

He gave me certain keywords to type into the computer, and I remember the beeping and buzzing it made as it sifted through years of research. As more and more details of the legend populated the screen, I realized just what the end really meant. The planet wasn't going to explode and life wasn't going to cease to be.

Enslavement, servitude, a life filled with pain and fear. The end of life as we know it. Maybe the city would be destroyed; we would be used as a warning to the rest if the world. Look at what we can do, and know there is nothing you can do to stop it.

I had some time to digest this information, to think about it. Would it end in a flash, a blink of an eye, or would it be slow, something that washes over the city like a wave, sending people fleeing uselessly before it?

But then a bulletin on the television caught my attention. I don't know what made me draw the conclusion that he was a Ronin Warrior. Maybe it was his stance, the aura he seemed to resonate even through the television. Or perhaps it was blind instinct, or even an empty wish on my part. But even as I called Grandfather to see, I knew I was right, and his confirmation only solidified my instinct.

I memorized everything I could about him, what he was wearing, his hair, his face, even the way he stared unperturbed by the attention. He was simply there to do his duty, whether the rest of the world cared or not.

I raced out of the room determined to bring him back. Surely a Ronin Warrior would know what was going on. After all, this is what they trained for, I thought. This was their mission. Little did I know they were simply young boys who had even less of an idea of what to do than I did.

The world ended before I got there.

The power went out first. And I mean power for everything. Anything that required a source of power to work, be it lights, machinery, or cars, instantly stopped working. The city was plunged into chaos. People just couldn't comprehend what was going on. I knew what was going on and even I had trouble understanding why.

Regardless, I had my mission to carry out, and I ended up borrowing an officer's bike to keep going. That's when the lightning got bad. That's when the panic really set in.

The masses turned into a writhing stampede of fear, and it took everything in my power to escape the crushing force. I ducked into an alley, debating the best way to make it to my destination when a huge bolt of lightning struck.

The entire street lit up, and in that flash, the world went quiet.

Everyone was gone.

I sat there for a few moments, uncomprehending. It happened so fast, I couldn't process it. Thousands of people, gone in a second. Were they dead? Captured? Disintegrated? There was nothing left, not even piles of ash...

I quickly pushed the thought away and got to my feet, pulling my bike upright. I still had my mission. I had to hope that he hadn't been caught in the blast.

As I made my way downtown, I began to realize just how widespread that light really had been. No one was left. At least, no one in the city had been left. I didn't even want to think about the possibility of it being any more widespread than that. Maybe there were more stragglers like me, but I never saw them.

Then I noticed the noises, the sound of metal scraping against stone and concrete. I pedaled faster and raced down an alleyway, and found myself on a battlefield.

I was elated that he was still alive, his tiger by his side. He looked different; his clothes had changed from street wear to a strange red and white armor. Somewhere in my foggy mind, I approved. It made sense to wear armor when doing battle. But my chest filed with dread when I saw what he was fighting.

It looked like a giant suit of armor, larger than any man I had ever seen. It towered over the boy, its taunting voice echoing strangely when it spoke.

Otherworldly...

That word stuck out in my head as I watched the boy struggle against it. Its weapon was a chain attached to a miniature scythe, and it spun it wickedly. I imagined it was smiling under its faceplate, if its tone was anything to go by.

The boy and the tiger worked together to try to bring the armor down, but neither could break through its defenses. He needed help, but help never came.

Then the boy leapt back, out of range of the moving armor and yelled something. I thought I heard something about fire when he began to glow bright red. I shielded my eyes, and as I blinked away the resulting spots, I saw his armor had changed.

It was a reinforced and rather stylized version of what he was previously wearing. He now had a helmet with two sword like horns curved on either side. His body armor looked thicker and had multiple deflecting plates to protect his neck, arms, and legs. He immediately pulled twin swords from his back and shifted into a defensive stance. He was obviously worn down, but he still had a defiant look in his eye.

I wanted to help him. He cut quite the imposing figure in full battle armor, but I had seen what was beneath. He was just a boy, and he needed help.

I looked around me for anything I could use. I thought for a maddening moment I could be a distraction, create an opening the boy could use to take the armored soldier down. But then something exploded just down the street from where I was crouched, and in my panic, my mind cleared. This was beyond anything I could do. I was in way over my head. Yes, he was just a boy, but he could wield power beyond a normal human's ability, and even then he was struggling against this evil thing. What could I do that he could not?

I had never been in a fight not seen a battlefield, but even my untrained eye could see the boy was losing the fight. The tiger jumped in at times, serving as a much better distraction than I ever could, giving the boy time to step back and recover for moments at a time before he leapt back into the fray.

I wondered how much longer he could last before he gave out when he took a particularly nasty blow and fell. He did not rise.

I will tell you instinct took over, but I couldn't tell you which one. I ran from my cover and immediately went to his side. I remember yelling at myself in the back of my mind, but it was ignored in favor of tending to the boy. His face was covered in scratches and bruises, and he tanned skin looked pale in the strange non light that covered the city. I imagined the rest if his body was in a similar state, but his armor covered everything completely, even the joints of his fingers. But most importantly, he was still breathing, even if it a bit ragged.

"What's this? A guest?"

I never considered myself to be brave, but then again, I had never been out in a situation that required it. Looking back, I'm proud to say I ignored the soldier in favor of tending to the boy. I'll also tell you it was one of the dumbest things I've done in my life. The boy stirred when I removed his helmet and blinked at me. His eyes were the most startling shade of blue I had seen, and I forgot what I was going to say even before I opened my mouth.

"You shouldn't be here!" He ground out as he tried to rise.

His voice was sharp, but halting as he tried to speak around the pain. A growl came from behind me and I realized my second mistake, the first being running out on the battlefield at all. I had forgotten about the tiger.

I don't know a lot about tigers. I studied ancient armor, after all, but I vaguely remembered a wildlife show I had seen some time ago about tigers. Something about being territorial and extremely protective of their cubs, and I was sitting between a tiger and its cub, even if said cub was human.

"White Blaze, get her out if here."

I hadn't freaked out up to that point, but when the tiger latched on to my arm and pulled, I screamed. It immediately let go, which I was grateful for. I suppose the actual physical contact sent me over the edge. I still think of that moment and wonder what would have happened if I had just let Blaze do what he needed to do. I hate myself a little for freaking out about the one thing that could have saved my life. Everything else in that battlefield was hellbent on destruction, and I scream at the one meant to save me. Real smart.

The boy must have been revitalized by my scream. He immediately got up and shoved me behind him, using the momentum to propel himself to his feet.

"Ready for another round?" The soldier mocked. It began to swing the scythe again, creating a high pitched whir. I watched as the boy tightened his grip on his swords even as he gasped for breath. With his helmet off, (_brilliant move on the battlefield, way to go Mia_), I could see that his hair was surprisingly long, ending just between his shoulder blades.

It was in that moment that everything fell apart.

It's strange what we remember in times of distress. I remember the blue of his eyes as the boy was flung to the side. I remember how white the tiger's fur was against the grey of the chain that wrapped around its body. And I remember thinking of my grandfather as the chains wrapped around my body.

My next thought was pain. The chains bit into my skin as the soldier pulled me across the battlefield until I was held against its side. It was incredibly cold, and it sucked the heat out of my body like a sponge soaked up water.

The boy yelled something, I couldn't make it out over the sound of my blood pounding in my ears. I was panicking, hyperventilating, and in more pain than I even thought possible. The edges of my world were turning black, and I wanted him to save me. Anyone, anything, to save me.

The last thing I remember was a ringing sound. It was faint, but it seemed to cut through my panic, and it left a warmth in my chest. Then the world exploded with light, and I finally gave in, and my world went black.


	2. Picking Up the Pieces - Sage of Halo

He stood overlooking the city, gazing over the darkened shell sadly. He failed them. The guilt weighed heavily on his heart.

They had not been ready. He had not given them the tools they needed to fight against this evil, and as a result, they had been overwhelmed by it. He had managed to save them, but only just. Only one had remained awake and active. The others had fallen into a slumber within their elements, waiting to reawaken to fight again.

He was making up for his mistake. The boy was now a skilled fighter and had a greater understanding of his armor and abilities, but one warrior was not enough.

He swept his shielded eyes over the skyline again, forcing himself to focus on the monstrosities that now reigned over the enslaved city. Four towers stood over the buildings, physical manifestations of the fear and hopelessness that permeated from the captured masses. Every day they grew a little taller, every day Talpa's menace spread.

Each day that passed represented another day without hope, without the Ronin Warriors to save them.

But that would soon change. The boy was ready, and had been for some time, but the bite of his past mistakes made him hesitant to send him out. The boy sensed it, but said nothing. He understood his reluctance, even if it made him restless.

"Talpa still hasn't found them."

He turned slightly to acknowledge his companion.

"No, we are fortunate in that regard."

The boy, Ryo, frowned as he stepped beside him, his gaze focused on the towers.

"We don't know how to find them."

"You do not," he corrected. "I will tell you how to find them."

Ryo turned sharply to face him, but the man was already walking away.

"Come, you still have to prepare for your journey."

"Journey?" He frowned as he followed. "Just how far away are they?"

"Some are further than others."

Ryo sighed but didn't reply. As much as he liked the old monk, he still got annoyed when he spoke in riddles.

They walked in comfortable silence through the forest, their steps accented with the gentle ringing of The Ancient's staff. As they approached the camp, Ryo could make out a white form laying in the ground near the fire pit.

He marched up to the sleeping beast and glared, and was rewarded with a tired look in return.

"Sleeping during your watch, Blaze?"

The tiger huffed and closed his eyes, shifting so his back was to the black-haired boy.

"Tch, thanks a lot." Ryo grumbled, though he smiled as he sat beside him. He leaned against his back and received a low growl for his trouble, though neither stirred.

The Ancient sat down at the fire across from the pair and set his staff down with a muted clank. Ryo turned to face him, adjusting his seat against the tiger by throwing an arm over his back. White Blaze lifted his head to regard the monk as they waited for him to speak.

"There is a poem I want to teach you. It will help you find the other Ronin Warriors."

"A poem?" Ryo tilted his head in question.

"Yes. Listen carefully.

_Torch of spirit, sought through five  
__Drinking strength from immortal fire  
__Darkest prison sheds the light  
__Churning beneath a swirl of salt  
__Burning within a throne of rock  
__Floating amongst the eyes of the heavens  
__Unmoored in the stream of the sky."_

Ryo blinked as he took in the words, sitting in silence as the Ancient finished speaking. He had felt something as the monk had spoken the words, as though his armor was responding to the hidden power within the poem. He rubbed his chest absently as he turned the words over in his head.

The Ancient watched him closely, his keen gaze catching the confusion in the boy's eyes as well as the seemed physical discomfort.

"What troubles you?" He inquired.

"I feel...strange. Like the poem…" He frowned as he searched for the right words to describe what he was feeling. "Like the poem was pulling me, or trying to guide me in a certain direction, but with every line, that direction changed. It was...disorienting. And each line _felt_ different."

"How so?"

"It was bright, then I felt as though I was drowning, then being crushed, and finally just...floating in nothing."

"Was that all you felt?"

"Well, at first, it was comforting. It felt as though I wasn't alone, and I don't mean like this, as we are now, but more like a family. Then just heat, but more intense than anything I've felt before."

"I see."

The Ancient watched the boy as he mulled over the poem. The firelight danced across his features, highlighting his youth even as he frowned in concentration.

_He may be a warrior_, he thought to himself, _but he is still just a boy. A boy who has lost so much in his short life. How much more will he lose before the end?_

He shook his head slightly as he cleared the morbid thought from his mind.

"That is enough for tonight." His voice startled Ryo out of his thoughts, who then proceeded to yawn in response.

"Alright," he answered. He turned to the tiger and pushed on his side. "Come on Blaze, bedtime."

White Blaze shifted around the boy, and Ryo snuggled against his side, relaxing completely as he settled in for sleep.

The Ancient remained where he sat, knowing his doubts and fears would not let him sleep that night.

* * *

Ryo woke the next morning alone. As he stretched and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he noted that the fire had died out and the Ancient was gone. Mentally shrugging through his foggy mind, he proceeded through the morning chores, ending the now normal routine with breakfast.

As he sat on the ground, he thought back to the poem.

_The Ancient said it would help me find the others, but it doesn't really help me at all._ He thought with a frown.

His frowned deepened and he scratched his head harshly with groan.

"Ah, all these riddles are making my head hurt!" He tossed the remains of his toast at the sleeping tiger and flung himself to the ground.

"What the heck do I do now?"

A rumble of irritation met his complaints, and Ryo turned his head to watch the slightly peeved cat sniff at the offending food before snatching it up for his own breakfast.

"Got any ideas buddy?"

White Blaze stretched leisurely before he padded over to the youth. Ryo watched curiously as he came over, then tried to rise quickly as he realized the tiger's intentions. White Blaze reacted faster, and pinned the boy to the ground, laying his heavy form across his chest.

Ryo weezed under the weight as he tried to catch his breath between laughs.

"I..he he...already washed..ha ha ha...Blaze!"

The tiger remained unconvinced and began to wash his charge's face to a feline's idea of perfection.

After what seemed like an eternity of tiger slobber and laughter, White Blaze shifted off the boy, leaving Ryo to catch his breath even as he continued to giggle.

"Ugh, gross." He sat up and wiped his face, glaring playfully at the now satisfied tiger. "Happy now? Maybe we can actually get something done today."

White Blaze snorted in agreement, and Ryo could almost see the smug look on his face.

"So, where do we start?"

Blaze flicked his tail in response as Ryo settled across from him, grabbing a stick to write the poem in the dirt between them.

As he wrote, he repeated the lines out loud, focusing on the tugs that resonated in his chest. When he finished he dropped the stick and studied his work.

"Well, when I hear or say each line, I can feel some sort of pull in certain directions, so that could mean each line is linked to one of the guys. So if I ever get lost, I can just say their line and head in that direction."

Blaze growled low in his chest, pleased his charge had already figured out that much.

Ryo grinned in response.

"So, I didn't feel anything when I heard the first line, so that one is probably about me. I'm not sure what the immortal fire is though." He frowned slightly as he tried to follow the train of thought, but then quickly abandoned it.

"That's not important. We have to find the guys first. We can probably figure it out together."

He shifted his seating, leaning closer to the next part of the poem.

"Well, let's start with the next line. _The darkest prison sheds the light_."

He blinked and leaned back on his hands, staring thoughtfully into space.

"So we're looking for somewhere dark, somewhere where there is no light. The only places like that are underground or underwater. But, since this part is focused on light, that probably rules out underwater, since this line doesn't apply to Torrent. So that leaves Halo."

White Blaze watched as he fidgeted once again, moving to cross his legs and prop his elbow on one knee before dropping his head into his hand.

"Underground then, a cave of some sort. The darkest prison...that would be a cave, since caves are the darkest places on Earth…"

Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he raised his head to speak directly to the tiger.

"Wait, I just remembered something! The darkest place on Earth...the Kanasota Gulch Pinnacles! I remember reading an advertisement for the Pinnacles that had that line! Sage could be at the Pinnacles!"

Ryo's face broke into a huge smile, proud of figuring out the first part of the poem. White Blaze purred in kind, ending with a huff that sounded suspiciously like a laugh.

"Don't laugh at me; at least I'm trying. Let's go there first. We may get lucky."

As the boy rose to begin packing, White Blaze growled at him, making him pause as he turned.

"A plan?" Ryo quirked his head as he voiced Blaze's question. The tiger nodded his confirmation.

"No clue. We'll wing it; it's worked out every other time, right? "

He grinned at the tiger, who simply huffed. His grin widened; he had been with the tiger long enough to decipher his grunts.

"Have a little faith in me," he teased. "I'm not completely hopeless."

* * *

The pair traveled quickly from the city to the tourist attraction, both focused entirely on their task. As they approached the rocky plains that marked the edge of the Pinnacles, Ryo summoned his sub armor and motioned for White Blaze to follow. They made their way cautiously towards the entrance, ready for any threats.

As they approached the edge of the wooded boundary, they became aware of voices echoing through the trees. They crouched low to the ground and Ryo slowly parted the bush obscuring their view.

The entrance to the Pinnacles was a wide rocky clearing with a small creek running along its length. It was infested with Dynasty soldiers and one very smug Warlord. He studied the armored figured closely, remembering the lessons with the Ancient about the Warlords. He noted the dark green and red armor and multiple swords, drawing his conclusion.

_That's gotta be Sekhmet_, Ryo thought with a frown. He quickly went through everything he knew about the Warlord of Venom.

_Poison, six swords, but uses two regularly, water will probably help more than hinder, crap._

"I guess we're in the right place if they're here, huh boy?" Ryo smirked briefly at the tiger as he growled low in reply.

"There are six soldiers. We can probably take them out quickly before Bucket Head gets involved. Then we can focus on taking him out."

White Blaze growled again and Ryo frowned.

"But if we wait he'll have a head start in finding Sage. Even if I could use the poem to find him, what if he gets there first? We can't take that chance."

Blaze huffed in annoyance but crouched low to the ground, ready to pounce. Ryo took a deep readying breath.

"Alright boy, let's do this."

They broke through the bushes as one, White Blaze bowling over a soldier just as Ryo used another as a springboard to propel himself into the remaining group.

"What's this? A ronin rat?"

Ryo quickly dispatched the soldiers and turned to face the full attention of a Dark Warlord.

_Whoa, he's a lot bigger up close_, Ryo thought with a grimace as he readied himself for the fight.

"So, the pesky vermin has finally shown his face." The Warlord sneered as he studied his opponent. "Nothing more than a child. And what's worse, a child who has wandered from his mentor's gaze."

He drew his swords slowly as he spoke, his sneer growing as he leveled his swords at the boy. "Come boy. Let's see if you can really fight!"

"Bring it on, metal head!" Ryo taunted. Sekhmet lunged and swung his swords with blinding speed. Ryo quickly dodged and twisted, doing his best to avoid the flurry of blows that threatened to overwhelm him. The Warlord of Venom suddenly swung his swords viciously, causing the boy to jerk back. With a yelp, he lost his balance and tumbled into a senseless heap.

"Now you're mine!" Sekhmet raced forward to finish the fight, but a giant mass of fur slammed into him from the side, knocking him into the rock wall and away from Ryo.

"Nice one, Blaze." Ryo swiftly regained his feet and readied himself once more to fight. White Blaze moved to his side, his lips pulled into a menacing snarl.

"Foolish child! Your pet will pay for that!" The Warlord pulled himself to his feet and shifted his stance.

"Let's see how well you dodge this!" He pulled the second and third sets of swords from their scabbards and arranged them in front of him before pulling them apart, forming a whip of swords.

"Snake Fang Strike!"

"What the-" The pair moved to dodge the attack, but were struck and thrown back into the rocky outcropping of the cave entrance. Ryo got up with a wince, rubbing his chest where the swords had hit. He glanced down quickly as his hand brushed a rough edge, and watched in horror as the venom ate through his armor.

"I see you are impressed with the bite of my swords."

Ryo glared at him as he sneered. "If that's all you've got, I don't have much to worry about."

"Foolish boy. You think that is all my venom can do!"

Sekhmet raised his swords for another attack, but Ryo dashed forward and ducked under his swing, retaliating with his own blow. As he staggered back, Ryo flipped back out of range, knocking him back further as he pushed off the Warlord's chest.

As he stumbled back, Sekhmet drew his swords with a roar and threw them at the agile warrior. Ryo dodged and weaved, avoiding the last sword by leaning back out of the way. But as it passed, venom dripped from the blade, landing on his face and eyes.

The pain was instant, and Ryo fell to the ground clutching his eyes, crying out in agony. He could feel the venom spread, making his head pound with his heartbeats.

"Trapped like a little blind rat." Sekhmet taunted.

Ryo tried to focus on his voice, turning to face the direction the sound was coming from.

"This will be even less of a challenge. You're hardly worth the effort."

He raised his arm in a feeble attempt at a shield, feeling it shake with the exertion as his limbs felt heavier with each passing moment.

_Think Ryo, think! _He tried to string a coherent thought together through the pain. _Gotta find him. I gotta find him or I'm dead!_

"Now you die!" The Warlord rushed the boy, his eyes alight with thoughts of victory.

In a moment, all thought left Ryo, leaving him with panic and fear.

"No!" He screamed as he stumbled back.

A familiar roar cut through his panic, and he grabbed the air on instinct alone, snatching the tiger as he ran past. He clutched his loyal companion tightly as he settled on his back, finding solace and relief knowing that White Blaze would take him to safety.

Ryo focused on holding on and pushing the pain to the back of his mind. He could feel White Blaze tense as he leapt and dodged around obstacles.

"Blaze, I think we're okay now. Do you see any water? I'm gonna try to clear my eyes."

White Blaze slowed and eventually stopped. Ryo slid off his back carefully then descended to his hands and knees, feeling for the pool. White Blaze nudged him gently in the right direction, renewing Ryo's feeling of gratitude, and he began the painful process of clearing his eyes.

"Oh no, I still can't see." Ryo tried to open his eyes a bit more, but the burning sensation still lingered, making it impossible to do so. As the echoes of splashing dissipated, Ryo focused on the slow growls of the tiger behind him.

"White Blaze? Did he get you too?" He crawled over to the cat and gently felt for wounds. "Ah, a few cuts. They're probably poisoned too. Stay still; I'll clean them out."

White Blaze watched his charge maneuver between the pool and his wounds, carefully carrying handfuls of water as he used his other hand to find the cuts.

"Sorry boy," Ryo said quietly. "Some rescue mission this is. I should have listened to you in the first place."

White Blaze nudged his hand and nipped it, holding on long enough to pull gently.

"You're right, I've gotta keep going. Sage needs help and Sekhmet is still out there."

Ryo stood and clenched his fist.

"I'll get him back for this, and we'll wake Sage up!"

White Blaze growled in approval and watched as the boy summoned his armor. He drew his swords and held them in front of him, concentrating on the ringing of his armor.

"I know I can find him with my swords." he said quietly. He listened to the resonance of the twin blades, turning to face where it hummed the loudest.

"Don't worry about me, Blaze. Just rest up and follow me later. I have to get moving."

He took a deep breath, locking the pull of the Halo armor in his mind.

"I'm coming, Sage." And he leapt into the darkness.

* * *

As he pushed himself to his feet, he decided to add that jump to his list of less than brilliant ideas. _At this rate, I'll need to write them down or I'll forget them all._

After a quick self assessment for any additional injuries, Ryo stilled and listened, reorienting himself to Halo's presence. He raised his swords and quickly regained the trail.

His progress was slow, but steady. He knew in his mind that navigating a pitch black cave system shouldn't be any different from doing it blind, but thought of never seeing light again made him hesitant and fearful. He stumbled over loose rocks and uneven ground, while he used his swords to feel for taller obstacles, such as the occasional stalagmite or a twist in the tunnels. However, he had yet to figure out exactly how to feel for overhanging obstacles, and as a result, had added a few knocks to his already pounding head.

He gritted his teeth in frustration as he bumped into yet another stalactite just as his swords began humming loudly. He paused and focused on the ringing.

"He must be close by." He took a couple more steps, following the blades as the shook in his hands. Just when he thought he would drop them, he touched an obstacle that stopped his progress. The swords immediately went quiet, and Ryo raised his head, feeling the pull of Halo just above him.

"Sage!" He yelled into the darkness.

Echoes met his cry, and he slashed at the pillar before him in an attempt to free the other warrior.

"Sage! Can you hear me? Answer me!"

His echoes were met with a menacing laughter that grew as it bounced off the cavern walls, surrounding and disorienting the blinded boy.

"I must admit, I am impressed you made it this far."

"Sekhmet," Ryo ground out angrily. He pressed his back to the pillar and readied his swords, listening intently for the Warlord.

"I will thank you for leading me to Halo. Now I can take out two little Ronins in single blow."

"I won't let you hurt Sage!"

"I'd like to see you try!" Sekhmet spun his swords and attacked, knocking Ryo off his feet. As he rolled to get up, soldiers jumped down from the ledges, surrounding the boy. He rose quickly, swaying slightly as a wave of dizziness washed over him. He could hear the clanking of the soldiers as they rushed at him, and he did his best to dodge most of their attacks, willing his already heavy limbs to move, retaliating when he could.

He suddenly heard the high pitched whirl of Sekhmet's swords and leapt to the side, avoiding the worst of the attack. The resulting blast knocked him into Halo's pillar, and Ryo sank to his knees as his body throbbed in pain. The combined damage of the earlier poison and this battle had taken its toll, and he could barely stand through the damage. His limbs felt like lead, his head felt strangely light, and he knew he couldn't last much longer.

With a surge of desperation, he raised his head and cried out.

"Sage! Warrior of Wisdom! I need your help! Please hear my cry! Wake up, Sage! WAKE UP!"

He dropped his swords and clenched his fist. In a single movement, he rose and turned, slamming his fist into the pillar with all his remaining strength. His echoes bounced through the cavern, fading into silence.

His strength failed him, and he fell to the ground with a groan, sucumming to his wounds.

"Heh, foolish child," Sekhmet chuckled as he descended to the cavern floor, eyeing the fallen warrior with disdain.

"One down," He turned his gaze to the pillar, locking his eyes on the bright patch near the top that indicated Halo's position. "One to go."

He took another step, gripping his swords in anticipation, when a cracking sound broke through the silence.

The Warlord scanned his surroundings quickly as he tried to identify where the sound was coming from. As more cracking followed, he quickly pinpointed the source.

"That brat!" He cursed as he watched spiderweb cracks appear in the pillar, snaking out from the crushed stone that marked Wildfire's desperate blow.

Light began to pour from the fissures, and Sekhmet shielded his eyes as he leapt back, just in time to avoid the blast that obliterated the stone.

Light filled the cavern, the source of which floated slowly to the floor, landing with a muted clank. The light dissipated, leaving the Warrior of Halo standing in its wake.

He slowly opened his eyes, his faceplate sliding out of sight in response. He swept his lavender eyes over the battlefield, taking in the fallen form of Wildfire and the angry Warlord.

"Ryo…" The name floated through his mind, even though he had never met the fellow warrior. He turned his gaze to focus solely on the Warlord, raising his sword.

"You'll pay for what you've done to him."

"As if you will provide any more of a challenge!" Sekhmet roared and launched his Snake Fang Sword at Halo.

He deflected the blow easily and raised his sword above his head, drawing on the residual light within the cave.

"Thunder. Bolt. CUT!" Sage's sword became a pillar of light, and he brought it down and swung the energy at his opponent. The power of Halo raced across the cave, engulfing Sekhmet and any remaining soldiers, continuing on to blow a hole in the roof. Sunlight washed over the warriors, and Sage closed his eyes briefly as he basked in the light.

The battle was over. The oppressive weight of the Dynasty disappeared with the defeat of Sekhmet, leaving the two warriors alone.

A groan brought Sage's focus back to his comrade, and he knelt by his side as the boy pushed himself to his hands and knees.

"Are you alright?"

"Sage?" Wildfire turned his head to the voice, and Sage noted how he kept his eyes closed against the light.

"What happened?" He quickly grabbed Ryo's shoulder as he tried to move to sit, steadying him as he leaned against the ruined pillar.

"Oh, just a battle or two, nothing major." He tried to joke, but winced as Sage ran his hands over his body, taking note of the multiple injuries.

"Hold still, I can heal your wounds." He held his hands just over his chest as they began to glow. He frowned as he took in just how injured his comrade had been, and followed Halo's power as it trailed over his body, searching for more wounds to correct. The stream eventually led him to Wildfire's eyes, and his frowned deepened as he assessed the damage.

"This may hurt a little, but I think I can restore your sight."

Ryo breathed in sharply, barely willing to hope.

Sage refocused his efforts, grateful for the sunlight as it recharged and fueled his healing. After a few moments, he leaned back on his heels and dropped his hands.

"Go ahead." He encouraged.

Ryo mentally braced himself and slowly opened his eyes, tensing as he expected the burning sensation to strike. He focused on the face before him, and blinked as the image didn't blur or fade.

"You did it," He said in wonder as he broke into a huge smile. "That's amazing. Thank you. Thank you so much."

Sage smiled at the grateful boy and stood, offering his hand to help him up.

"It was the least I could do." As Ryo accepted his hand and stood, he stepped back and banished his armor, waiting until Ryo did the same before speaking again.

"I did hear you."

Ryo blinked in surprise, but waited for him to continue.

"I could hear you, and the Warlord, but I couldn't move. Not until you struck the pillar." Sage smiled back at Ryo, his gaze matching Ryo's grateful one not a moment before.

"Thank you for freeing me, and not giving up on me."

Ryo smiled brilliantly at the golden-haired boy.

"How could I? You're a Ronin Warrior, and we're going to need every one of us to win this fight."

Sage nodded and looked around. "So, what now?"

"Now, we head back to camp. I don't know about you, but I am exhausted."

Sage snorted in amusement. "I think I've gotten enough sleep for now."

Ryo laughed lightly and turned to leave, motioning for Sage to follow him. "Come on, it's not too far from here."

And with that, one became two, and the battle began to turn in their favor.


End file.
